The Florida Complex League Cardinals or FCL Cardinals are a rookie league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Cardinals. The team plays its home games in Jupiter, Florida, at Roger Dean Stadium, which is also the spring training home of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins. The team is mainly composed of players who are in their first year of professional baseball either as draftees or non-drafted free agents.
History The team first competed in the Sarasota Rookie League in 1964 and the Florida Rookie League in 1965, predecessors of the Gulf Coast League (GCL), which began play in 1966. The team competed until 1976, then was absent from the league for 30 years.
In 2007, the team returned to the GCL, and has operated continuously since then. The team claimed its first league championship in 2016. Prior to the start of the 2021 season, the Gulf Coast League was renamed as the Florida Complex League.
The FCL Cardinals play in the FCL Southeast division against rookie league affiliates of the Mets, Astros, Marlins, and Nationals.
Season by season
YearRecordFinishManager PlayoffsSRL Cardinals (1964)1964 30-302ndFred Koenig No playoffs FRL Cardinals (1965)1965 27-315thGeorge Kissell No playoffs GCL Cardinals (1966–76)196620-285thGeorge Kissell No playoffs until 1983196725-326thGeorge Kissell 196834-272ndGeorge Kissell/Ray Hathaway 196921-337th Tom Burgess 197032-285thTom Burgess 197120-337thTom Burgess 197227-325thBobby Dews 197325-307thKen Boyer 197427-215thBobby Dews/Tom Burgess 197517-377thFred Koenig 197627-244thDave Ricketts GCL Cardinals (2007–2020)200724-3012thEude Brito 200817-38 15th Eude Brito 2009 25-31 12th Steve Turco 2010 28-28 8th Steve Turco 2011 31-24 5th Steve Turco 2012 34-24 3rd Steve Turco Lost in 1st roundvs. GCL Pirates (1 game to 0) 2013 24-35 15th Steve Turco 2014 37-23 2nd Steve Turco Lost in 1st roundvs. GCL Red Sox (1 game to 0) 2015 34-25 5th (t) Steve Turco Lost in 1st roundvs. GCL Red Sox (1 game to 0) 2016 33-21 1st Steve Turco League Champsvs. GCL Red Sox (1 game to 0)Won in first roundvs. GCL Phillies (2 games to 1) 2017 26-29 11th Steve Turco 2018 40-16 1st Erick Almonte Won in first roundvs. GCL Phillies East (1 game to 0)Lost in League Finalsvs. GCL Tigers East (2 games to 1) 2019 20-34 16th Josh Lopez Playoffs cancelled due to Hurricane Dorian2020 No Season due to pandemic FCL Cardinals (2021–present)202124-2911thRoberto Espinoza202225-2911thRoberto Espinoza202317-3314thRoberto Espinoza202420-3313thRoberto Espinoza202524-3111thWilli Martin
Roster
References
External links Official website